


Happily Ever After Fails (And We've Been Poisoned by These Fairytales)

by Missy



Series: A Boy, A Girl, and Their Love Story [3]
Category: Laverne & Shirley (TV)
Genre: Birthday, Coparenting, Developing Relationship, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Humor, Kid Fic, Parenthood, Reunion Sex, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-21
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:28:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,331
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26577592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Missy/pseuds/Missy
Summary: Laverne and Lenny have a little girl, and they're learning how to coparent with aplomb. But all of those feelings they think they've resolved haven't been sealed away, and Bella's first birthday party releases them in an unexpected way.
Relationships: Laverne DeFazio & Shirley Feeney, Laverne DeFazio/Lenny Kosnowski
Series: A Boy, A Girl, and Their Love Story [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1906522
Comments: 16
Kudos: 2





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Fourth and possibly last in the series!

“Someone doesn’t wanna go to bed.” 

Laverne held Lenny’s daughter up and out to him, and he carefully took her into his embrace. “Can you blame her?” he asked. “There are monsters around every corner, and after midnight’s when the linoleum gets up and starts to crawl…”

“Len, wouldya quit that?” she leaned against the wall, placing a hand upon the banister, and took in the picture Lenny made with their little girl in his arms. “You’re gonna scare her!”

But Shirley Arabella Kosnowski – nicknamed Bella, in part for convenience’s sake and partially because of Lenny’s innately corny sense of humor – was not the easily scared type. She grinned toothlessly at Lenny and patted his whiskery cheek, then tried to crane her neck around to see what was behind him on the second floor, even as he tried to urge her to rest against his robe-covered shoulder. Fat chance of that. Bella wanted to see everything, experience everything – grab life with both hands and shake it like a ragdoll. 

She was something else, Laverne thought, smiling tiredly, scuffing at the elbow of her pajamas. She was the light of both of their lives and now that she was starting to be more than a squishy, red-faced bundle gathered up in a pink blanket, Laverne felt like she’d begun to understand her more, feel more like Bella’s mother instead of a milk cow who changes diapers on the side. Laverne was proud of her daughter, her curiosity, her sense of fun. With the dark blond hair she’d gotten from both of them and her father’s piercing slate blue eyes, Lenny could not have denied the girl, even if he’d wanted to.

And he had not denied her. Lenny had taken his fair share of responsibilities for Bella, even doing “girly things” like feed her, walk her, wash her and change her diaper while Laverne worked. He’d never hesitated to give her a chunk of his freshly enlarged check, and, though he missed driving with Squiggy, had gone every day to work without complaint. They shared dinner together at The Pizza Bowl, where Frank was somewhat less frosty toward them both now that Bella was a live person in their midst. And then there was this. This had become their new tradition – on those nights where Bella didn’t want to sleep, Laverne would walk her daughter up three flights to Lenny and Squiggy’s place, then hand her off while Lenny walked her down to the basement and back again.

“Why don’t you marry that boy?” Shirley asked, watching Lenny and Laverne together. But it wasn’t that simple. Laverne didn’t want to be the girl who trapped Lenny into a marriage any more than she wanted to be the girl who settled for less than something spectacular. Even though Lenny had given her goosebumps during their one memorable, Bella-creating encounter. Even though they had things in common, and he didn’t look too bad when he was sleepy eyed, his hair ungreased and his pajamas rucked up, watching her from across the room. He was Lenny. He brushed his teeth with Bosco. Loving him was a dangerous prospect.

“You owe me 50 cents,” Lenny whispered, coming down the stairwell. Bella was fast asleep against his shoulder, little hand fisted up in the material of his robe.

Laverne snorted. She and Lenny had a running bet about their daughter’s sleeping patterns. The parent who got her to go down automatically owed the other parent a nickel. “Nickels ain’t 50 cent pieces,” she said fondly, then took Bella back from Lenny.

“Oh,” he remarked, and then lightly itched his own stomach. “You want me to take her back upstairs with me and let her sleep?”

Laverne shook her head. “Nah. Besides, the last time we did that, Squiggy thought she was a lost mouse and tried to feed her cheese.”

“We gotta get his sleepwalking checked,” Lenny remarked. “So uh..see you tomorrow?” he asked.

“Yeah,” she said, and turned carefully around to descend into the basement with her daughter. But she turned around quickly. “Len?” she called.

“Whatcha need?” he asked.

“Bella’s first birthday party’s on Saturday at ten. It’s at the Pizza Bowl…”

“I remembered!” Lenny chirped. “Already got her a present and everything. You need money for the party?”

“Nah,” she said. “I just wanted to make sure you remembered.” 

“Laverne, I remember every little thing about that girl. I was at the hospital the day she was born, y'know. I’m kinda crazy about her,” he said. And so he was. His loyalty didn’t shock Laverne but it was still a pleasant surprise.

“I know,” Laverne declared. She really did. 

“Uh,” he said nervously. “Do you mind if I bring a date?”

Laverne raised an eyebrow. "To a baby’s birthday party?”

He squirmed. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen anyone,” Lenny explained. “And Donna from Barley and grains asked if we could go out together, but I don’t have any extra money. I figured we could bowl a couple of frames after the party. Please, Laverne? I’ll even watch Bella for you on Sunday while you go to church.”

Laverne didn’t understand her immediate revulsion at the very idea. It was Lenny – she had let go of the notion of their ever being together. He was the father of her daughter and nothing else. They had made an adorable baby together during one beautiful, fairtytale night. But every DeFazio knew the cynical truth behind those golden pages – fairytales ended, and she ought to be getting on with life in the real world, where bottles needed to be capped and diapers ought to be changed.

“Sure, Len.”

Relief showed in his eyes. “Thanks, Laverne.”

She smiled back at him thinly, carefully balancing the baby in her grip. She’d call back Rusty, the tall, blond guy she’d met a couple of weeks ago during a Shotz company picnic. It would be perfect – he’d be handsome and kind, and great with the baby. Just the kind of guy she wanted to spend her time with now that she and Lenny weren’t even trying to be a thing. 

Awkwardly, they parted. And Laverne tried not to stare at his tushie as Lenny turned around and walked back up the stairs.


	2. Chapter 2

“What do you think, Laverne?” Shirley asked, climbing carefully down the stepladder she’d ascended just minutes before. The Pizza Bowl had, thanks to the hard work of her godmother and mother, been transformed into a party palace for Bella. Festooned with white and pink streamers and balloons, a large banner had been painted and hung over the midpoint of the restaurant. On the bar a large amount of gifts had been mounted – from Laverne’s friends, from various Angora Debs who couldn’t be there, even from Lenny’s sister and Rosie Greenbaum. Everyone at the brewery had chipped in to buy Bella cookies, too, though she didn’t have teeth enough to do more than gum so far. Pop was in charge of the rest of the refreshments, and Laverne could hear him cursing occasionally in the kitchen.

“Looks good, Shirl,” Laverne said. She straightened her skirt. Lenny had taken Bella for the morning – a jaunt around the park, he promised – and she worried as the minute hand crept closer to ten on the dot.

“Penny for your thoughts,” Shirley said.

“I don’t have any,” Laverne said. She tugged at the collar of her dress and smoothed her skirt again – it was her old black dance dress speckled with green flowers, and she’s just been able to fit herself back into it after a year of trying to get back into shape. “Do I look good? I wanna look nice for Rusty.”

Shirley sighed. “You look wonderful, but I don’t believe that you and Lenny have chosen to bring your lust into an innocent birthday party for your daughter.” She patted the camera strapped around her neck as if it was another baby for her to hold and cosset.

“Shirl, this is a first date, we’ll be lucky if either of us gets a good afternoon kiss there.” She primped her hair and checked her perfume.

Shirley shook her head. “Still. It’s awfully dangerous for you to try this in the same place at the same time. You know Lenny still has feelings for you. And I wouldn’t be shocked if you have feelings for him. I mean, the two of you DID conceive my goddaughter in spite of my expressed instructions, and you do tend to stare at his hiney as if it were a juicy piece of steak these days…” 

“Wouldya get over it already?” Laverne realized that the statement was a reprove directed at herself, too. “Our daughter is a year old, we’re gonna have to start dating sometime. What do you expect us to do, walk around like a couple of virgins with no lives?” 

“Hello!” Squiggy called. Lenny was right beside him, with Bella in his arms – and the very tall, blond Rusty and tiny, almost-cute Donna beside him. 

“There’s the big girl!” Shirley squealed, as Laverne took Bella into her arms and got the baby’s jacket off of her. Their daughter was a November child – born right in the middle of the fall, when the leaves in Pfister park were bright red and orange, but it was warm enough to warrant a light jacket and rainboots for the morning walk. Lenny had dressed their daughter up accordingly and neatly in a blue dress with tiny yellow bees emblazoned all over it, a little bee pattern dotting her little boots as well. There was a little red plastic bow clipped to her blond hair, and she’d been wearing a light pink coat to go with her red winter boots. She squeaked and squealed, trying to grab at the streamers and balloons hovering tantalizingly over her head.

“Did everything go okay?” Laverne asked Lenny.

“Yeah! We fed the squirrels. Little Louie says hi,” he said.

“Len, you gotta stop naming the squirrels,” she said, “She’s gonna get attached.” Bella let out an approving squeal. That earned them both a funny look from Rusty and she smiled awkwardly as he approached and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Uh…Bellla’s dad likes naming all the squirrels in the park. She thinks that’ll help her remember them when she gets older.”

“What?! It’s true,” Lenny said. Laverne tried to ignore the jealous look in Lenny’s eyes as Donna nudged at his shoulder, trying to grasp for purchase on his upper arm. 

“Lenny is pretty correct on the subject. They all know Bella by name and smell!” Squiggy said. 

“By smell?” Shirley asked. “Really, now.”

“Of course! You ever been downwind of that kid when she wrecks a diaper?” he asked, popping behind the bar and rubbing his hands together before pouring himself a beer.

“True…” Shirley murmured. At that moment, Frank came out of the kitchen with a big cake shaped like a pink butterfly. 

“Who told you you could have beer?” He yelled at Squiggy, nearly making him choke on the mouthful of brew he’d stolen. “This is a kid’s party! You wanna get drunk at a kids’ party!?”

“It was good enough for my old man,” Squiggy said. 

“Doncha wanna be better than your old man?” Frank asked.

“Yes, sir,” Squiggy said.

“Then shut up, stop getting drunk, and get these candles in this case.” He put the cake down on the counter as Edna entered.

“Yes!” Squiggy said. 

“Let me do that,” Shirley begged, not wanting Squiggy to touch the food. Laverne mouthed her best friend a thank-you as Lenny got Bella’s high chair out. Frank beamed at his granddaughter, kneeling before her.

“Where’s the peanut?! There’s the peanut!” he cheered, as Bella squealed and kissed his nose with a wet, sloppy smile. 

Laverne pouted as her nickname was transferred over to her daughter. A tiny, childish part of her brain resented that, but knew enough not to fight Frank over it. 

Rusty squinted at the people gathered before them. “Uh. So who’re all these people?”

“You know Lenny,” she said. “Squiggy drives a truck for Shotz, and he’s Lenny’s best friend. That’s my Pop with Bella; Shirley’s my best friend in the whole world, and Mrs. Babbish is our landlady and my Pop's girlfriend – she’s the one stopping Squiggy from licking the cake right now.” She then yelled. “Thank you, Mrs. B!”

“You’re welcome – Squiggy, don’t you dare touch that antenna!” Shirley and Edna had wedged a large, pink number 2 shaped candle onto the butterfly’s thorax and were currently fighting Squiggy's drooling mouth.

“But it’s so wiggly and tempting!” he said. 

“That’s what my last boyfriend said!” offered Donna in a very high pitched Milwaukee-accented squeak. Laverne already loathed the woman, and she didn’t know exactly why. Lenny’s expression showed confusion, then pain. Frank stopped dandling his granddaughter long enough to get up to welcome Carmine, who came in, characteristically late and with a package of goods Laverne only hoped hadn’t been fenced.

The overhead lights shut off, and Edna and Shirley carried the cake to the table before presenting Bella with a smaller, easily destroyed cake with two candles perched atop it. The adults began to sing to the baby - during the high note of the first chorus, Rusty squeezed Laverne's bottom inappropriately. What would have once made her giggle turned Laverne cold; she shot him a glare over her shoulder. Pulling away from him, she joined Lenny beside their daughter, helping her puff out the candle while Shirley took a picture.

“What do you think, baby?” Lenny asked the girl, but he was looking right at Laverne.

Bella took one look at the cake and smashed her fists into it before plunging her icing-coated fingers into her mouth. 

The adults cut the larger cake up, and then they started to eat, chasing the late-morning treat with bites of pizza and cookie while Bella demolished her cake and offered any adult close enough to her a handful of the spoils.

Laverne listened to Donna manipulate the conversation and monopolize the attention, trying to prevent herself from rolling her eyes. “So,” said Donna, “I went to Saint Catherine Polytech on the other side of…”

“Hey, I went there!” Rusty said, eagerly putting down his fork. The twosome turned toward each other. 

Clapping their hands, they sang in unison, _“St. Cate’s Poly!  
Red and Blues!  
St. Cate’s Warriors  
Are Gonna Get You!”_

They laughed. “Were you on the football team?”

“I ran track,” Rusty said. 

“I was a cheerleader!”

“Did you know Elizabeth Donnish?” 

“She was my best friend!” said Donna.

Laverne and Lenny shot each other looks of surprised dismay. “Uh, Rusty…” Laverne said.

“Did you go to that dance we had after we beat Westlake in the regionals?”

“Donna?” Lenny peeped.

“Of course! Everyone was there, but I went because I love Frankie Valli.”

“I love Frankie Valli too!”

“Hey!” Lenny said overbrightly, standing up. “I was just thinking we could do a little bowling before Bella gets her gifts opened.”

“Now?” Laverne asked.

“It’ll give us time to get to know each other without everyone else hanging around.”

“I’ll watch her, Laverne,” Shirley said, trying to mop bright pink and blue frosting from Bella’s lips.

“But I didn’t finish my cake,” Donna said.

“Bring it with you,” Lenny said, his teeth in a grit.

She shrugged and grabbed her plate. Rusty grabbed her other hand and started babbling about Frankie Valli while Laverne and Lenny trailed behind.


	3. Chapter 3

Laverne listened to the balls roll up the return and the pins rack themselves. She’d been hearing that sound since she was twelve years old, and it was as comforting as a mother’s song. 

Rusty and Donna were still gabbing on with each other as Lenny took out his pink ball – the one Karen Clopton had jammed onto his fingers for making an obscene comment about her body several years before – and eyeballed the two people they’d been so eagerly talking behind them.

“Looks like they’re getting along,” Laverne remarked.

“Yeah,” Lenny said. “Hey, maybe we should pair them up at the next talent show! They get along so great I bet they’d be naturals at fire swallowing or sword throwing!” 

She sighed and rolled her eyes. “All right,” she said, turning to the crowd. “Who wants to go first?”

Rusty raised his hand. “Proud to, milady,” he said, and gave her a grin that grew all the more obnoxious every time he made it. He bowled a perfect strike. Then it was Donna’s turn – and she followed his perfection up with more of her own. Laverne noticed that the high five between the two of them lingered for far longer than it ought to, and was distracted enough to plow her ball right in the gutter.

Which wasn’t as bad as what Lenny did. She stared in dismay at the dent in the ceiling over their heads.

“Maybe your pop will loan me some spackle,” Lenny said. Her hand lingered upon his forearm and stroked gently, the same way it always did when he was upset. Lenny gave her back a crooked grin of his own.

“I think it’s a little late for that.” She looked over at Donna, who had her hand on Rusty’s arm. Immediately, jealousy filled her. “Hey, winner of the next strike gets a free piece of cake.”

“Why would I want cake?” he asked. “It makes me gassy.” He didn’t stop watching Donna.

“Donna?” Lenny asked.

“You guys go ahead,” she said. 

“Hey,” Rusty said, eyes locked on Donna, “are you busy for dinner?” 

“Rusty?” Laverne whined.

“No,” she said. “And I’d love to wash down the taste of all of that greasy pizza.” 

“Greasy?!” Laverne and Lenny shouted together.

But the twosome were already heading out the door. “I know of this great little diner. Hey, how do you feel about the Five Satins?”

“They called me the Sixth Satin in junior high!” said Donna. Then they were out of sight, and Laverne turned to Lenny.

“I don’t believe it,” they said together. 

“I know,” Lenny said. “But I guess we gotta keep trying, right?” He jammed his hands into the pockets of his jeans, staring at his feet.

Laverne frowned. “Lenny…”

He tilted his head at her. “I mean, you turned me down. Four times,” he reminded her. 

“Yeah, I know…” And she was starting to regret her choices now, envisioning both her life and a life filled with vacuous but handsome Rustys – good for one night, lousy for anything else. “But…”

He shook his head. “Don’t,” he said.

“What?”

“Don’t go pulling my dick like that.”

She raised an eyebrow. “You didn’t have any complaints back at the Pfister,” she said.

He scoffed. “That ain’t what I meant. I mean, Laverne, don’t jerk me around. Don’t pretend you wanna be with me, and then decide to be with someone taller and more handsome with more money. I know no matter what I do for Bella, you’re always gonna be looking over my shoulder for a bodybuilder.”

“Len…”

He stared at her. “I gotta go.”

“Lenny!”

He walked out, grabbing his jacket, pausing only to kiss his daughter atop her head. “I’ll be back to see her on Sunday.”

Laverne had to struggle mightily to keep from making a boo boo face as she made her way through the rest of the party.

By the time they had finished cleaning up the Pizza Bowl and distributing leftovers to the rest of the guests so Frank could open for the day, Laverne was furious. “I don’t believe that guy!” Laverne raged as they walked the block home with Bella in her stroller. “Imagine, saying that I’m the one leading him on!”

Shirley gave her best friend a long, very dry look as she opened up the door. 

They walked downstairs, carefully wheeling Bella’s stroller down each hump before getting out their keys. “…And he knows what we had was great! But it was just one night! The guy brushes his teeth with Bosco, Shirl! He tried to look down my dress on that cruise ship! And he tried to get to second base with me in a swan boat!”

Another dry look as Shirley opened the apartment door. 

Laverne had no idea how long she ranted about Lenny as she paced. She only became aware of the fact that time had passed when she glanced over at her best friend and saw that she was basting her button back into place. “…And the worst part about it is that he doesn’t even notice when I’m angry!”

“Are you done?” Shirley asked, checking on Bella – whom she had managed to change into her play clothing. 

“Yeah,” Laverne said, sticking out her jaw. 

“Laverne – let me be frank with you.” Shirley guided her best friend to the couch and rubbed her arms. “You’re so in love with Lenny it’s turning you into a fool.”

Her eyes bugged out. “You’re supposed to be my best friend!” she whined.

“I am your best friend, and right now I’m trying to convince you to do what’s best for the two of you – AND for Bella,” she added quickly. 

“And what if he ain’t the best thing for me? You’re always telling me about high hopes and chasing my dreams and dating rich guys with office jobs!”

“Well,” Shirley said. “It’s not as if money’s the most important thing in the world. And he’s a lot better than the other men you’ve dated. Like Rusty. And he’s become such a good father that I’ve changed my opinion about him and your future together. Just a little.”

“There are hyenas better than Rusty,” Laverne muttered.

Shirley reached over and slapped her palms down against her friend’s eyes. “Laverne, block out everything else and answer these questions. Who do you go to when I’m not around and you need advice?”

“…Lenny,” Laverne admitted.

“And who do you like to hang out with when I’m busy?”

“…Lenny, but…”

“Who do you have a ridiculously high number of things in common with? You were even born in the same month.”

“Shirl…”

“No, not me. And who, in spite of my sterling advice, did you decide to have what seemed to be satisfying intercourse with?”

“Don’t say ‘intercourse’ in front of my kid!” Bella was chewing on a large plastic block, and she looked up at her mother and gave her a spitty grin - one that looked like Lenny's innocent smile. Laverne sighed, and pulled the block from her offspring’s mouth.

“Well?” Shirley asked. “When you look into your heart – really down deep – do you love him as a friend? Or is it more?”

Laverne rolled the block between her hands. “I hated seeing him with that girl today,” she confessed. Which was as close to the truth as her pride would allow her to get.

“Then stop being stubborn, go upstairs and tell him that!”

“But the baby,” said Laverne.

“I’ll watch her,” she said. “You'll owe me a favor or two, though. Now go.”

Laverne sighed. “This is why you’re the best, Shirl.”

“Just this?” she asked rhetorically, as Laverne closed the door behind her with a grin.


	4. Chapter 4

Laverne bounded up the stairs, taking them two at a time, until she reached Lenny’s floor. Knocking vigorously on it, she wasn’t surprised when he took a minute to answer. 

“Whaddya doing knocking stupid?” he asked, wrenching the door open, and then turning a trifle pale when he saw who it was. “Sorry, I thought you was Squig,” he admitted softly.

“Yeah, well, I’m just me.”

“That’s enough,” he blurted out, then flushed at the declaration. “Uh…so what’s going on? Where’s Bella?”

“Shirl’s watching her for the afternoon,” Laverne said. “We gotta talk by ourselves.”

“Fine,” Lenny said, sticking his jaw out. “Start talking.” He let her into the apartment. She sat down at the card table and he stood by the door, arms crossed over his chest.

“Len,” she took a deep breath, “I know I didn’t treat you right when we first had Bella. But…you know how it feels when you get something really good? And you don’t know if life’s just making fun of you or it’s really giving you something great?”

His features softened. “Kinda,” he said. “I mean, all of the good stuff that happened after my mom left I’ve always wondered if I deserved. You mean it’s the same way with me?”

“Most of the guys I’ve dated treat me like an afterthought,” she said ruefully. “You’re the only guy I ever met who likes me for me – jeans and baseball and monster movies and everything.”

“So why didn’t we do anything ‘til the ball?” he asked. She knew what he wanted.

“Because I used to tell myself I couldn’t feel anything for you. I knew you kissed good – I knew I didn’t like seeing you with other girls. But I didn’t know how to handle it, or if it really meant I liked you that way. I was so afraid of making a mistake I couldn’t see straight. And…I didn’t want you to leave.” The way Norman had. The way Fonzie had. The way even her mother had. Laverne had never allowed herself to dream before, but as Lenny moved toward her she dared to dream a little more.

Lenny knelt in front of her and grabbed her hands. “But here I am,” Lenny said. “I ain’t going nowhere. I love you…”

“I love you too.” It came out of her so automatically that he gasped softly at the declaration.

“Okay. How’s about it, Laverne? Stay with me?”

She answered him by sitting forward and kissing his lips.

** 

It was different from the night they’d conceived Bella. In the light of day, in Lenny’s apartment, making out naked on Squiggy’s bunk, it certainly wasn’t quite as romantic. But everything she felt – everything she knew about how to touch him, where to taste him, how to make him shiver - felt _right_.

Eventually he had to taste her again, and Laverne was anything but a pliant, still, writhing and tugging hair and rocking as she fell over the edge of the world and found herself safe again in his arms. 

“Oh,” she said softly, when she felt his lips peck their way up her thighs, leaving trails of grease and her own lubrication up her belly. “It’s like it was before,” she said. He raised a confused eyebrow down at her, sliding up and between her knees, his face pressed close to hers, her knees knocking at the sides of his hips 

“Of course it is. D’you think that was just a one-time thing with us?”

“Maybe,” Laverne said, sticking out her jaw.

“Want me to prove it to you some more?” he asked.

“Oh yeah,” she demanded. But when he inched closer to her, Laverne’s fingers found his bare cock, making Lenny lose his balance and his eyes close tight against the pleasure she gave him. Laverne made a soft, reproving sound. “Got any…?”

Lenny jumped off the bunk and dug around in his wallet until he found a rubber – presumably the one he’d been planning on using with Donna. “Too early to give Bella a little brother or sister, anyway,” he said, ripping paper and then rolling the sheathe down his cock. Laverne reached over to stroke him (it felt as if he was doing all of the proverbial heavy lifting here) and he shuddered.

“You promising me more babies someday?” she asked.

“I’m promising you anything you want,” he said. “I’m buckling down even more! I’m gonna get you a house, and ring, and...” Laverne shoved Lenny over and onto his back, causing him to gasp out softly as she straddled him. She bent over him and he arched his back, his lips, up toward her, trying to touch his face with her lips and her pussy with his cock.

They met all at once and everywhere in a single, sweet gesture.

*** 

_Epilogue:  
Two Years Later_

Their honeymoon had a stowaway. 

Laverne didn’t mind, since the stowaway was her daughter, technically Lady Kulakowski, and the 90th in line for the Polish throne. It was a much belated honeymoon anyway, since Laverne and Lenny had been married the winter after Bella’s first birthday in a quick wedding at city hall. Her Pop had been angry about them avoiding a church wedding, but with Bella having been born out of wedlock Laverne didn’t see a way around it.

Bella – with her stick-straight blonde hair and big beautiful eyes and her wild ways – was popular wherever she went. The people loved her here, doted on everything that came from her sassy little three year old mouth – most of which were requests that someone, anyone, play baseball with her.

The apple had not fallen far from the tree.

Laverne smoothed down the skirt of her baby blue sundress and perched her white cat’s eye sunglasses upon the bridge of her nose as the limo taxied up to the Royal Castle of Warsaw, then reached over and squeezed Lenny’s hand (his were, as always, occupied by Bella). Stepping out into the sunshine, she felt like Julie Andrews, which had been Shirley’s aim when they’d put together her trousseau. “I want you to be as pretty as Audrey Hepburn,” she’d declared, after demanding Laverne take extra underwear to Poland ‘just in case.’

“She’ll be lucky if she looks like Audrey Meadows!” Squiggy retorted, earning a swat from Shirley. Laverne still couldn’t believe that they’d moved in together in the wake of Laverne and Lenny’s marriage, but they made a funny and very platonic couple of roommates – at least for the moment. 

Laverne’s memories were interrupted by the sight of her daughter – squealing and shouting – cartwheeling away from her father’s frantically grasping hands. “Bella!” Laverne shouted, as she ran, squealing from her father. “Be nice and hold daddy’s hand!”

“No!” Bella yelled. 

“Do it, or you’re going back to the hotel!” When had she started sounding like her Pop? Bella stopped short, pouting – looking so much like her father it took Laverne’s breath away a little. 

Lenny almost tripped over his own feet and then took his daughter’s hand in his grip. Together, they were a matched set, smiling for the envoy who led them through the palace as a family, pointing out important works of art, and leading them into the portrait gallery.

Many things – including President Kennedy’s favorable relationship with the Polish nation – had resulted in Lenny’s being allowed to visit Poland. They had been met not with disgrace, but with joy.

The small crowd of press people and dignitaries waiting for them shouted questions Laverne couldn’t hear. Seated on a row of velvet cushions, the king of Poland gave a speech long enough to put Bella to sleep before tugging on a velvet partition, revealing two oil paintings.

Laverne didn’t take a good look at the picture until most of the press had cleared the room. Beside Lenny, she reached over and took his free hand as their daughter slept on his grip.

She’d chosen to wear a simple green dress with a purple L on it for the portrait. Lenny had on his jeans and a Hawaiian shirt and his Lone Wolf jacket – he’d not thought to do anything but dress comfortably for the session. Hand in hand, they saw themselves immortalized – poor royalty, but royalty nonetheless. 

“You look like a princess,” Lenny said.

“More like a countess,” she retorted.

He grinned. “You didn’t need no coronation to be one. You always were.”

Laverne didn’t know what was ahead for them – good things, she hoped. Maybe a promotion, a business they could share – more babies like Bella. She only knew that she was happy that her own fairytale would keep going on from here. Marriage hadn’t meant the end of the fairytale at all – it just kept growing chapters.


End file.
